California has hundreds of miles of the most beautiful, sandy beaches in the world. That’s why couples come from near and far to elope where the sand meets the Pacific Ocean.
When reality TV producer Tony Brown and his bride Debbie Joles (shown above) of the Los Angeles area decided to elope, they chose the Muscle Beach area of Santa Monica Beach. I wrote a short and sweet ceremony for them that incorporated the poem “A Gift From The Sea” by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. At the end of the ceremony, onlookers cheered as Tony kissed his bride.
When marriage equality became the law of the land, Tammy M. of Tennessee contacted me about officiating her elopement to her partner Ramona. They and fellow couple Audra and Cathy wanted to come to Los Angeles to elope on the beach. They were all married in back to back ceremonies near the Santa Monica Pier.
Indie rock crooner Ariel Rubin, of Ariel + The Undertow, and her fiance Steve Davis chose Carpinteria State Beach, near Santa Barbara, as the site for their destination elopement. They traveled from the Boston, MA area to combine getting married with seeing the sights of California. They considered many sites, including Joshua Tree National Park before deciding on a beach setting.
Couples elope for varied reasons. Some choose to elope initially and have a grander affair at a later date. However, many couples today are choosing to elope as an alternative to the hustle, bustle, stress and expense of a traditional wedding. An elopement only requires three components; the couple, the officiant and the marriage license. Obtaining a California marriage license is easy. There is no waiting period and the process can be started online. The State of California even offers a confidential license that doesn’t require the signature of a witness to your marriage. However be advised that the confidential license is only valid for marriages in the county in which it is issued.* If eloping is right for you, contact me and let’s discuss a ceremony built for two.
*For a list of links to offices that issue California marriage licenses, please visit my wedding officiant website, http://www.weddingmuselosangeles.com, and click on the the Marriage License Information tab.
